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ESPRESSO JULY 1, 2014

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French ex-President Nicolas

French ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy has been detained for questioning over alleged influence peddling.
The decision to detain him is seen as an unprecedented step against a former president as this is the first time a French former head of state has been held in police custody..
Sarkozy’s lawyer was questioned on Monday on suspicion of seeking inside information about a case against the former leader.
This development is seen as a blow to Sarkozy’s attempts to challenge for the seat of the president in 2017.
Sarkozy, who was president from 2007 to 2012 is being investigated on how true it is that he promised a prestigious role to a high-ranking judge in Monaco in exchange for information.
Investigators will be able to hold Sarkozy for an initial period of 24 hours but can extend custody for another day.